Legalize It: The Necessity For Marijuana Law Reform
When I think about social issues that should be discussed more often than they are, I think about the topic of legalization of marijuana. As a person that has consumed marijuana both in legal settings, and illegal settings, I can say that the title “illegal drug” should not apply to cannabis. The reason that I believe this is because I do not feel that marijuana is a threat to my personal safety, nor is it a threat to the safety of people that are around me if I was to be smoking it in their vicinity. I am not a violent person, and do not consider myself to be a criminal based on what plants I have smoked. While I believe that cannabis should be legalized in every way, there are some people that sit on the fence on the issue. The problem is that they either don’t know enough about marijuana to make an informed decision or do not have any personal feelings on the matter. I believe that these people should consider choosing a side. I believe that this particular paper can show the injustices of marijuana laws and why they provide unnecessary hurdles for hardworking citizens that want nothing more than to be given their right to get “high” after a long day of work. Everyone should know more about the topic because it is more than likely that someone they know will be adversely affected by the unjust system of laws that govern American society. This paper will provide all the information that a reader needs to make an informed decision, including a history of the cannabis plant, and biased and unbiased information regarding the topic and why law reform is the only conceivable solution to the debate over marijuana.
The history of marijuana rea...
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...o one’s health. The British Medical Association says that the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to one’s health (NORML). There are also no potential risks for marijuana smokers, insofar as the likelihood of death is concerned. There has never been a reported case of marijuana overdose, and it is believed that no one ever will overdose (Erowid). In recent polls taken, a majority of Americans apparently feel that marijuana is less dangerous than both alcohol and tobacco. A majority of Americans also support changes to the United States’ drug policy (NORML). I believe that these polls show an increasing sentiment in modern day America that marijuana is not as serious as it may have been believed to be. However, looking at the issue through the eyes of only one or two pro-legalization groups does not fully cover the spectrum of public opinion.
With the absence of the strong sense of pride in one’s nation and the belief that one’s nation was destined for greatness, which were popular European sentiments the twentieth century, the brutal war that divided the continent for more than four years would not have occurred. The most significant cause of the First World War was nationalism, as this aspect created the tension and aggression between European nations that lead to rivalry and antagonism, and it exposed the common interests and goals that persuaded particular nations to collaborate to defeat their shared enemies. Firstly, nationalism provoked conflict between nations, as it planted the strong desire for power and superiority within the minds of European leaders, as well as the
The legalization of marijuana is, and has been a heavily disputed issue for decades. On one hand, marijuana could lead to a medical breakthrough, or at least provide relief to cancer and AIDS patients. On the other hand, legalizing a drug could expose it to too broad an audience. As a drug, marijuana has never proven to be anywhere near as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol. Each year in the United States, 400,000 people die from tobacco, 50,000 from alcohol, and from marijuana, zero. Regardless of what side one may take to this argument, there are some causes to this marijuana debate that everyone should know. Marijuana was not always illegal, and the reasons behind the history of narcotic regulation are interesting when viewed from today's perspective. The history of marijuana prohibition is a story of racism, political repression, and poorly represents the qualities this country claims to embody.
Nationalism has a long history although most scholarly research on Nationalism only began in the mid-twentieth century. Some scholars point to the French Revolution of 1789 as the birth of Nationalism. The French Revolution is seen...
Nationalism was viewed in so many different ways by so many different leaders and society. Many conflicts and wars were a long term impact on Nationalism, but some conflicts were a small impact on Nationalism. The Frankfurt Constitution was written and published and also is a document of Germany History today. The article “On the Duties of Man”, by Giuseppe Mazzini and how the map of Europe was redrawn, which was a huge impact on Nationalism. Romanticism was another huge impact of Nationalism, with many changes that was made from artist and how their paintings became more realistic and how everyone had different views on artist’s painting.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Ever since the federal criminalization of marijuana in the United States in 1937, there has been a large underground drug market (Paul). Much like how the prohibition of alcohol simply forced imbibers underground, those who chose to partake in marijuana are forced to stay away from the prying eye of the law because of present marijuana laws. This means the drug world is concealed from the average citizen, hiding the dangers of drug deals gone wrong, police shootings, and other dangerous occurrences. In a way this allows the government to mask the fact that their well-funded ‘War on Drugs’ is ineffective, a ‘War’ with a budget of roughly twenty billion dollars; which is not profoundly effective in the curbing the use of drugs (Jillette). If the average citizen does not know what is happening, in the eyes of the American zeitgeist, it is not happening. Criminalizing a harmless drug to cut down on its use simply turns its users into criminals, making the crime rate go up and clogging prisons with non-violent criminals. Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco and the laws pertaining to it should reflect that.
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling.
Nationalism has played a crucial role in world history over the past centuries. It continues to do so today. For many, nationalism is indelibly associated with some of the worst aspects of modern history, such as the destructive confidence of the Napoleon’s army and the murderous pride of Nazi Germany. Large numbers of people, descent in their hearts, have carried out unbelievable atrocities for no better reason than their nation required them to. Authoritarian and totalitarian regime have crushed dissent, eliminated opposition, and trampled on civil liberties in the name of the nation.
The use of jump cuts within Breathless and Contempt was an unconventional technique during the French New Wave and still is today because it violates one of the rules of Classic Hollywood Style. Jump cuts create “…discontinuities that the perceptual system will not ignore because the stimuli fall outside of the accommodation ranges for perceptual continuity, then spatial coherence breaks down” (Berliner). Even though jump cuts are not aesthetically pleasing, Godard uses them for the deeper meaning of the films.
As of today the nation stands behind three basic ideas of what to do with marijuana; legalize marijuana, make it legal only as a prescription drug, or keep it as it is, illegal. People, who are pro-marijuana like me, argue that marijuana is considerably less harmful than tobacco and alcohol, the most frequently used legal drugs. Furthermore marijuana has never directly caused anyone's death. People who side with the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes believe that the ends justify the means. But the people who want to keep it illegal think that the medical uses do not outweigh the harmful side effects.
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing
Now, I personally believe that people absolutely should be moral for several reasons. The main one being. I believe that it 's natural for people to want to do the right thing and that deep down they want to do the right thing, but through circumstances, the understanding of
I encourage people to help everyone they can in their life, and I certainly hope that people truly enjoy helping others through life. I try to get people to be the way I am, through my actions. I don’t judge people fast, and I try my best to assume that people in general are good and are not up to no good.
If I follow my moral code then I will have lived my life to the fullest and with the moralitys that was important to me. This includes treating others as I want to be treated, feeling that when I do something good it will come back to help me, and seeking a surplus of pleasure over pain every day.
When looking at different themes throughout history, it seems as though nationalism has been brought to the center stage. While some philosophers have supported nationalism, and other criticized it, the ideals of nationalism have been the driving force of many pivotal events through out history.